Sealing & Cleaning Porcelain Tiles

[StuBoy0]

I am about to lay 600 x 300 Polished Porcelain tiles.

I've been told these should be sealed before grouting by the retailer (Tile Giant). I've been reading this site and it appears I need to :-

(1) Clean Tiles
(2) Seal Tiles

grout & then repeat.

On readling it appears that Lithofin or LTP are good sealing products. I've had a look at the Lithofin site and am now confused as to which product to use.

Please can someome tell me :-

(a) How should I clean the tiles, and if I need a specifc product can you let me know what's the best peoduct to do the job. Exact name rather than manufacturer preferred.

(b) For a sealer, which sealer is the best to use. Again please give specifc name of product and not just brand.

Many Thanks,
Stu.

 

[bathstyle]

What colour are the tiles?

I would take one look at the tiles and tell you if they need sealing or not. Often they do not.

Lithofin are one of the best manufacturers.

Porcelain has microscpoic holes and apparently can stain, I've not seen it before and very rarely seal the product

 

[StuBoy0]

I have two different polished porcelain tiles :-

(1) Polished Black

(2) Polished very light beige

The retailer said they need to be sealed.

I just want to know which Lithofin products I need to :-

(a) Clean the tiles
(b) Seal the tiles

They are not that expensive pocelain, about £25 per sqm.

Stu.

 

[tictic]

polished porcelain, as b/style as said will have microspic holes in them due to the polishing process.

again you can seal or not.
last one i done the client was supplied with ltp sealer mpg or mgp cant remember excatley the name.
i just grouted/washed off.then when dry applied sealer then all ur doing is buffing up the polished porcelain after leaving on for about 30min.
this was in a conservertory so will be a slighty high traffic area plus any dirt and the likes coming in from the garden.

i usually only do this, if its a very high traffic area and if light coloured tiles as well..commercial/retail the like.

 

[tictic]

stuboy0

mate just got back on, read ur first post.
you got ur tiles from "tile giant".
most of these "tile retail shops" are getting their tiles from china...

so i would call or visit them an ask if your polished tiles are from there?
then ask if they have a "transport wax" on them?

if so you will have to remove this first mate.
then seal/grout/seal.

was down at a very "good" tile distributor shop there picking up this weekends work and got talking to them about polished porcelain..

 

[tictic]

aahh sitting down to a cuppa tea and a jammy dogger now

stu just googled "tile giant"..had never heard of them.
their website...to me.. is not the best? dont list products etc...

years ago we know what PP tiles we were dealing with.
but now it seems a few"tile retail shops" are getting the cheaper "tiles" in.

dont want to sound "big headed" ere mate but i only get my stock from WELL establised tile distributors.

so again give them a visit.

 

[tictic]

WARNING...WARNING...

just called a mate...a manager at a TOPPS branch and he has said most of their stock is coming from..CHINA..

 

[StuBoy0]

tictic,

I know that you get what you pay for ... however it was the only tile my wife liked. When coosing tiles we visited CTD and other distributors, however the tiles my wife liked were in Tile Giant.

Staff very helpful and seemed knowledgeable.

They seem to sell from cheap to super expensive, the other tile we bought were compac quartz at £60 sqm also from tile giant.

Anyway, checked the box of porcelain tiles, no chinese writting, but no manufacturer name either. It did say on the box in Italian, spanish & english to seal tiles.

Anyway, what I really need to know is what products do I need to clean & seal the tiles.

 

[tictic]

alright stu
just done a wee recce their

ok first check with shop if they have a transport wax ok.

lithofin have a product called ...abra clean.
aquamix.co.uk have a product called ...nano scrub.

these will clean tiles
for a sealer, just go for which anyone as above when you get cleaner.
if in doubt give either one of the above a call mate they will advise better..